Proposed Changes in By-Laws

[mwarren]

My 2 cents worth

As Mr. Harper has commented the BMW Motorcycle Club of Alabama has been in existence over 30 years. Many of our founding members who have worked so hard to make this Club what it is and have left this world much too soon were BMW motorcycle owners to the end. The By-Laws have not changed on the first and foremost criteria for membership as stated in By-Law #1 “Ownership of a BMW” and many, many BMW MOA Chartered Clubs have this requirement. Amendment #1 brings us back to our roots in which this Club was founded. The only issue overlooked in this amendment and can be amended and added by motion from the floor is “All existing members who are not presently owners of a BMW motorcycle are grandfathered in as of January 31, 2010”. Regarding the liability waiver in this amendment, that too can be amended, but this same type document is signed every year at our Chicken Rally upon registration and printed on many, many BMW Clubs’ membership forms as added protection for members and officers at Club events especially since this Club isn’t incorporated. An Active Member has always been encouraged to invite guests to participate in Club functions, rides, rallies, meetings, etc. I myself was a guest for almost two years before becoming an Associate Member. This does not discourage anyone with another brand of motorcycle to attend Club functions as a guest with an Active Member and hopefully become a BMW motorcycle owner and enthusiast, but as a comparison I can’t see a Ford owner being granted membership into a BMW Car Club. Let the majority vote rule. See you at the meeting.

[SteveS]

I don't attend every meeting so maybe I have missed something. When were the amendments to our bylaws proposed and what person or group of persons authored and proposed the amendments?

I'll see all of you in Montevallo.

[mwarren]

Proposed Amendments

They were presented at this past September meeting, discussed at October meeting and in the November and January Newsletters with the ballot. These were proposed by several members myself included as the typist to allow a majority of the membership to have the chance to vote on the amendments at the annual meeting particularly since revisions were made in 2002, including the present #7 paragraph that were not voted on at an annual meeting.

[SteveHebert]

I can't imagine this vote being productive at all at this January meeting. I can see this dragging on and on for hours, weeks, months. Is this club a designer only brand name club so we can keep the infidels out? What about the BMW owners like Mr. Marriott and the loud mouth that joined our circle at the Blue Ridge last summer? They own BMWs and if they wanted to join, what could we say. Luckliy Mr. Marriott went away quietly.

I am very undecided on this but I will say this; every member of this club that wants to vote better have read up on this and had better be ready to make intelligent conversation and NOT just bitch, moan and complain. We are all adults and we will all live with the majority rule, whichever way that goes.

It should be interesting.

See you onthe 31st.

[Gail]

This whole subject is not the result of one incident at one meeting. I was at this meeting, and these things did occur , but this wasn't the only incident nor the only time I have seen unfavorable behavior due to NON BMW attendees. I have heard long time club members being put on the defensive by being asked in a sarcastic tone, why they ride a BMW or how they can afford to. This was asked by a Harley rider invited as a guest. Also, I have personally witnessed FOB's interrupting a club officer while he was speaking at a Sunday morning meeting. I also know for a fact that some FOB's have been inviting their own guests to attend our club meetings, which usually means someone on a Trike (God help us), Harleys, and Goldwings. Where does this end, and WHY open this door by allowing FOB's to have this much influence in our club? I personally feel that the creation of the FOB's was a bad idea. Now is the time to end it, once and for all. I will be voting YES to both proposals. Gail Thorne

[R90srider]

So this is what it’s like when it hits the fan. Kidding aside, I want to say how pleased I am with the remarkable leadership Ron and Vance have exhibited and thank them along with our other leaders for their diligent work to help make our club the success that it is today. However, realizing that no one is perfect, it was a serious error in judgment to insinuate that fellow club members have the attitude of “if you are not one of us, you are not welcome here” just because club members think it was a mistake to change our long established by-laws to include the provision for Friends of Beemers a few years ago. There is not a single club member that I know that has that attitude.

Since 1971 when John Harper founded our organization, this has been a club for owners of BMW motorcycles. We have always welcomed guests of club members and have at all times strived to make them feel welcome. As a former 15 year Harley rider, I can attest to that because I was a guest of Ron Shea in 1994 and enjoyed attending many club events and rides. Same goes for my brother Bill and good friend Bobby Sweeney who were Goldwing riders. After purchasing my first BMW motorcycle in 1995 (Long Tall Sallie), I joined this wonderful club and for three years continued to ride my Harley to some of the events, all the time enjoying the good natured kidding about nuts, bolts and parts falling off. Larry Camp pulled the best trick when leading a ride; he twisted the throttle on his K1100LT gradually until we reached speeds in the 90 mph range all the time watching me try to keep up. When he saw that big ol’ batwing Harley faring start to wobble, he twisted his throttle a bit more and disappeared into the distance until he slowed for me to catch up and then continued at a brisk but reasonable pace. I can see the grin on his face now.

Early on in the 39 year history of our club’s existence, John Harper and Russ Simpson along with other leaders and club members helped build a foundation for success that made our club one of the most envied in the U.S.. I am afraid that foundation cracked a little with the implementation of our FOB program. Cracking of the foundation was first made evident to me at our 2009 club meeting at Ft. Toulouse when Jim was telling us about his and Steve’s BB&B meeting in Enterprise. One of the FOBs asked him what BB&B stands for. He said “Beer Brats and Beemers” The reply was “that should be beer, brats and bikes, I own a Kawasaki”. Considering all of the different and divergent interests of our club members, the glue that binds us together is our passion for owning and riding a BMW motorcycle.

Item one of the proposed changes in our by-laws adds the word motorcycle. Our by-laws from the club’s inception stated “Ownership of a BMW” which meant BMW Motorcycle. Paragraph 7 will return us to the original intent of our club’s owner/guest policy. A provision to grandfather current FOBs, I believe, was omitted by mistake and hopefully will be included, and we should encourage our friends to acquire a BMW motorcycle if physically and financially able.

Our club’s owner/guest policy has worked well for 39 years and I believe if we do not find our roots, we are on a path to becoming a disjointed group of motorcycle riders with nothing in common other than riding motorcycles. There are many other motorcycle clubs with that goal. Please vote yes to Amendments one and two.

[SteveHebert]

Well I have to say that after reading, re-reading and re-re-reading (if that is a correct phrase), I would like to see amendment one, amended a bit.

I totally agree with this being a BMW motorcycle club, but I do believe that we need to allow a time frame for someone to join the club and then decide if it is for them or not. Maybe give them six months or one year to purchase a BMW motorcycle if they do not own one. If they do not purchase one in that time frame, or if they are a current member and do not own a BMW motorcycle within that same time frame, then the membership would be cancelled. Do not call it friends of beemers at all. That program needs to be eliminated.

As Norwood stated earlier about the LT club changing it's name as other riders purchased GTs, etc. to allow expansion of the club or for existing members to remain; they still owned and rode BMW motorcycles. That is the key here.

If you are a member of a motorcycle specific club and you do not own that specific motorcycle, why are you there? Join the Southern Cruisers or any other club like that.

Ride on over to the Harley shop on your BMW and join the HOG. See what they say.

I agree with Vance and Ron that the wording of the proposed amendment is too harsh, but I do believe that we need to go in that direction. We have to encourage newer and younger riders to look at our club, but we do not need to open the doors to one and all for ever and ever.

How would we treat a younger member of the club if he/she became permanently disabled and could never ride again but still wanted to remain a member of the club? These are the hard questions that have to be thought about with the current wording of the proposed amendment (1). There are many what if's.

Okay, enough ranting from me. As a famous Indian chief once stated "I will have a smoke and think on it".

One last comment from me on this and I too will no longer respond until the 31st; Let us all remember that we are friends and have been for quite some time. Politics and religion are always heated debate topics and bring out the worst in people. We have to speak openly and candidly, but we must also respect one another. I want this meeting to go smoothly and allow the majority to vote and decide on these amendments, and when it is over and done, we all must follow the amendments like adults, no matter the outcome.

[Norwood]

Thanks to all for taking the time to reflect your concerns and comments...

After reading your comments and emails to me, I would like to add these thoughts to consider:

How to accept support from non-riding vendors, but yet they want to become members of the group and support our club....For example: Joe the tent guy, he a good fellow, comes to all the rallies, supports us in any way he can, gives aways tents as door prizes, ABEES prizes and other raffles doesn't own a bike, never will.... What if Joe the Tent guy want to become a member of our club that he is supporting? Yes Joe, we have Friends of Beemers....membership without a vote.

Abbey the new rider, she like to be social, loves to camp, volunteers at all the rallies, owns a non BMW bike that best suits her size and leg length and budget. She likes our style of meeting, like the folks in the club...she wants to become a member? Yes, Abbey we have Friends of Beemers...membership without a vote...make applications and we will vote on your membership at the next meeting.

Alan the veteran rider: Alan has owned BMW bikes and former member, Alan was injured in an accident this year, His only choice now is a trike....after his accident his lost his job for couple months and his life hasn't been the same....he found a good deal on a trike, a Honda non less...but he likes our style of club and knows several folks in the club...he wants to be a part of the club... Yes Alan we have a non voiting membership for non BMW owners......make applications and we will vote on your membership at the next meeting.

Last but least, consider this:

BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama....yep that says it all or does it??....read it again.... BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama now read it again and examine every word. BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama . I think the most unique aspect of our club is that we do proudly violate those last words...of Alabama. Yes we have members from all over the USA, not just Alabama and that's how it should be or should it?

Personally, I like it the way it is...we have members regardless of where they live or even if they are without a BMW bike at the moment. We expect all of members to respect others and abide by by-laws and the rules set forth by the person in charge at the event.

I really think that if we don't have a door to open to folks in the situations given in examples above, that someday someone will make a door for us...and that door will be wider than we want it be.

[bamabmw]

I've been reading all this and crying, and deciding what is happening to this club is heartbreaking.

I will say to start with, I wll vote NO to ammendment #1 for sure.

I'm not willing to lose a 21 year member, who has bought another brand recently because after a year of waiting on a special ordered BMW it was never produced and this person has a distinct height disadvantage.

I'm not willing to tell our FOB member who has cooked "their" tail off a several meetings and the rally too.

I'm not willing to tell those FOB members who work the entire rally and pitch in at other meetings good bye either.

I'm not willing to tell that person who's wife/husband who gets cancer, it drains their funds, they have to sell all non-essentials, bikes included, that hey sorry, it's been "X" months and you have not yet gained another BMW, so you are no longer eligible to be a part of us.

I'm not willing to tell a 10 year member who buys a BMW every other year or two, sells it and buys a harley every other year or two, sells it and buys a BMW again. What are we going to do? Throw him out every other year?

GEEZ !!!

As in the earlier post “I’m not worried about hurting my friends feelings if they don’t ride a BMW.” Well, I AM !!!
In my 21 years in this club, it’s always been more about the people than the thing that brought us together. And I DO care about all my friends and do NOT want to hurt their feelings, nor do I want to have them be tossed out of this club. Was I proud it was a BMW club? Yes!! Was I proud it was the Alabama club? Yes !! Why?............because the Alabama club has been the envy of the National BMW scene for many years. We have generally been either the largest club or next to it for many years. We have such a camaraderie (or had……..) and always had so much fun that everyone wanted to join us, AND DID ! We have always been fairly laid back, without a lot of contention, and that has always been appealing to many folks who joined us for that reason too. The fact that we implemented the FOB program gained us several new valuable members who have thrown their time and work into this club.

I see this amendment as a very detrimental change to the basic atmosphere of the club and I will vote no.

The FOB program was voted on at the August meeting on the 24th, of 2002. Vernon Headrick – president – presiding – at TWO campground in Suches, GA. So it was a well attended meeting with the majority of the core club attendees present. I have the minutes of that meeting in front of me. It was originally voted on as Associate members and later changed to FOB members to better distinguish from associate or secondary members like wives, etc. Seems to me it was worked extremely well for us for 7 years. What the problem is now I just can’t understand, and never will.

I’ve received numerous e-mails from folks that say this smacks of eliteism, and seems exclusionary, and that we seem to be going backwards instead of progressing. I have not asked for permission to print their names but I have told them that if they feel that way they need to make sure and vote. But I agree with them all. .............It WOULD put a stamp of approval on the BMW snob reputation.

One of our FOB members is one of the top points getters in the ride points program.

How far will this boulder roll downhill. I see people saying “This is the BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF ALABAMA, the name says it all.” Well what’s next? Are we going to start kicking out anyone who doesn’t live in Alabama? I’d just love to see who wants to step up to that one day and tell the Executive Director of the MOA, bye, bye and other fine folks who reside elsewhere. But hey, Alabama is in the name, so what’s stopping the ones who keep saying “It’s written in the club name”? Is that where they are going next? It scares me.

I’ve put my life into this club for years. So I am very upset that this is happening. This club has been pretty much all I had for many of those years and what kept me going. To have it turn into a club that is trying to exclude good people, instead of the club that’s always welcomed everyone we’ve ever met, is very distressing.

PS………….we ARE incorporated. I think I saw where Vance posted we aren’t, but he’s just stressed, he knows we are.

I’m going to go cry again now.

[bamabmw]

Another bit of food for thought.

BMW in the club name will be a moot point when BMW starts disallowing the use of BMW in club names and logos.

So that part of the argument will not be valid by next year if what I am told is going to happen, happens.

[Marty]

Proposed Changes in By-Laws

I have been in the Club (39 years) from almost day one when we were so proud of having John Harper form the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Alabama. I was the Secretary/Treasurer until they split the duties, and now I'm known as the CFO. I have been with these duties for 33 years and finally stepping down for the 2010 election. I have enjoyed seeing the Club grow and proud with the financial condition it is in - I am proud to take some credit for this. I know with stepping down that the Club will continue to flourish.
I agree this is the BMW Club and we have some wonderful FOB members. BUT, I don't know what all the fuss is all about because we are not going to lose them. With the clause that was left out in the newsletter proposal they will remain as members -this will be ammended at the meeting. I do not want our Club to go backward instead of forward, and lose the identity that we have established throughout the motorcycle community all over this country. It is so sad with all this bickering going on, and it will hurt our Club.
I am proud of the BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS OF ALABAMA. I am going to vote "YES" for Amendment #1 (AFTER it is amended) and "YES for Amendment #2.
>>>>>>> Marty Simpson

[Marty]

I want to correct Vance about members in the past who sold their BMWs that they didn't remain in the Club. They would contact me to say they sold their BMW so they will not renew their membership. I would keep them on the roster until the end of the year so they would get a newsletter. I would always return with a message that if he buys another BMW, please contact us and rejoin.

Members mailing their dues in usually fills the renewal form and will indicate the BMWs they have and also their brand-X motorcycles.

As a life member, I still have a beautiful white GS in the garage, and the great '74 R90/6 that Russ & I rode to many rallies.
>>>>>>>>>> Marty Simpson

[jdubeemer]

Connie's quote:
"I'm not willing to tell that person who's wife/husband who gets cancer, it drains their funds, they have to sell all non-essentials, bikes included, that hey sorry, it's been "X" months and you have not yet gained another BMW, so you are no longer eligible to be a part of us."

IF I WAS DYING FROM CANCER I WOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY HEAVENLY FATHER THAN A MOTORCYCLE CLUB. THESE ARE NOT LIFE OR DEATH SUBJECTS WE ARE VOTING ON.

[bamabmw]

You know what my point was Jim. It had nothing to do with life or death and our maker. It had to do with life circumstances that might happen and how this could affect good folks.

[gsezrider]

I haven’t been real active in the club of late and am coming late to this discussion but here are my thoughts. I have always thought this club was and is a BMW MOTORCYCLE OWNERS club. Several years ago I started riding with this club on a Harley Davidson as a guest. I attended club events, the Rocket City rally and other BMW rallies as the “invited” guest of a member. In fact back then many BMW rallies stated in their announcement that they were for BMW owners and their invited guest.

I have always thought that membership into the BMWMOAL required that you own a BMW motorcycle and be sponsored by a member in good standing. I don’t feel that this was done to exclude anyone but more to maintain the club as it was organized.

In my opinion this is a BMW motorcycle owners club and should remain that way. Family members and significant others have always been accepted as associate members and club members have always been allowed to invite guest.

From what I gather on the forum some folks are uneasy about the wording concerning ownership of a BMW motorcycle. I have owned and sold many BMWs over the years and have never been kicked out of the club for this reason. I’ve had a stern talking to a couple of times when I was BMWless for a while but as long as my intensions were to buy another BMW motorcycle it was never a problem. I am not particularly concerned about the wording of the amendments but I do feel the end result should be that membership in this club is limited to BMW motorcycle owners.